SEDRO-WOOLLEY — A looming state budget deficit and alternative energy programs were featured topics at a forum Monday for candidates in Legislative District 39.

The forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters of Skagit County, also included the four candidates for county commissioner.

Among the state candidates, Republicans and Democrats alike said they would encourage businesses to develop wind and solar power.

Dan Kristiansen, a three-term Republican representative from Snohomish, is excited about a development proposed for Eastern Washington that would be built completely off the power grid.

“In the future, we’ve got some great things that are up and coming that we’re watching,” Kristiansen said.

His Democratic challenger, Scott Olson of Monroe, said promoting alternative energy should be a priority in the next session.

“That’s a key issue that the Legislature has to go forward on,” Olson said.

The difference between parties was a little more apparent when their candidates discussed how to overcome a projected $3.2 billion budget deficit.

“Agencies have to ... see what is necessary for the function of state government,” Kirk Pearson said. Pearson is the four-term incumbent in the other state representative seat in District 39, which includes Sedro-Woolley and eastern Skagit County.

Pearson’s opponent, Democrat David Personius, did not attend the forum.

“We’ll face some hard decisions on what we’re going to cut,” Olson said. The Democrat suggested that he would try other ways to balance the budget first — increasing efficiencies, eliminating redundancies and ending tax breaks to businesses.

“One of the things I will draw the line on is education. We can’t afford to any more go backward on our education spending,” Olson said.

Kristiansen said he would return to the “priorities of government” approach the Legislature used to close a $2.3 billion budget gap in 2003. Through that approach, state government must re-justify its expenses. Education, he said, should remain the state’s top priority.

Senate candidates Fred Walser, a Democrat, and Republican incumbent Val Stevens were able to underscore their major campaign points during their portion of the forum.

Walser, the former police chief of Sultan, said education and transportation were his top two issues. He said he would consult with experts to find a way to improve school funding at the state level.

“It is a priority with me,” Walser said of education. “It should be No. 1 in this state.”

Stevens said the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, the statewide standardized test that has become a graduation requirement, is a waste of the state’s money.

“We should be reducing class sizes and increasing teachers’ salaries,” Stevens said.

County commissioner candidates got a chance to address one of the hotter topics of this election season — whether the Skagit Public Utilities District should take over the electrical utility from Puget Sound Energy, which is being purchased by Macquarie, a foreign investment firm.

Opponents of the Macquarie acquisition say the foreign company will not manage the electrical utility with local interests in mind.

None of the candidates took a firm stand on the issue, recognizing that voters will have their say in November.

“I think we need to vote yes to do more studies,” said Ron Wesen, a Bow farmer running as a Republican for the District 1 seat.

Wesen’s opponent, Democrat and Anacortes City Councilman Bill Turner, said he needed more information before forming an opinion but was leery of the potential purchase of PSE.

“I’m not comfortable at all with selling a company to an overseas company that has a reputation ... that’s really dangerous,” Turner said. “We’ve got to figure out what the rates are first that we’ve got to absorb.”

Gordon, the Republican challenger for commissioner of District 2, also endorsed a “yes” vote on the PUD ballot measure.

Democrat Ken Dahlstedt, the District 2 incumbent, said he works for the people and would defer to them on the PUD issue.

“I think it’s great that (the voters) are going to have an opportunity to weigh in and make a decision for themselves,” Dahlstedt said. “... I definitely believe in local people having the ability to protect their own future.”

All the candidates are up for election on Nov. 4. Ballots will be mailed to voters by Oct. 17.
Ralph Schwartz can be reached at 360-416-2138 or .